Hey, so I was in a game which I resigned from approximately 20 minutes before the time of this posting (sorry, I don't know how to do GMT time or whatever it is) with uth113 and hammernow2 under the alt Woot_n_Poot. Ever since the beginning of the game, I had been trying to set up multiple trades with both hammernow2 and uth113. Every time I tried to make an offer to hammernow2 though, he would neither accept nor reject them, and when I tried asking what he thought of them, he would either say nothing or make a snide/unclear comment in the chat window.

Anyway, it reached a point where I was going nowhere, and felt my only way out was to gain more trade leverage with hammernow2 by making a deal with uth113, giving him blacks and in return pretty much tying up the rest of the board between me and hammernow2 except black, white, brown and yellow. I had no properties bringing in cash, but hammernow2 did, yet with what he had he would lose to uth113 soon enough. Point being that there was pretty much no danged reason to not trade with me or attempt a deal.

Here's the thing. No matter how much I tried to reason with, pester (though not belligerently), or send offers to hammernow2, he simply refused to trade with me. He'd either make more of those snide comments or say something that made just no sense at all. Finally, I gave up and resigned after writing down info for a report.

Everyone has their own strategy and unless it is blatantly out of spite that someone doesnt trade and it is able to be proven then it cannot be penalized.
Whether someone trades or not is their choice as they may have other plans and or strategy that you are not aware of and they do not have to reveal to you. It could of course cause them to lose which is then their own fault for not taking the trade into consideration.
As for opening a property and not bidding this is not punishable because again it could be a strategy to get someone else to use their funds or put someone else out by letting the other player obtain a property for a set. Again everyone has their own strategy and if someone repeatedly plays a strategy that you do not agree with or like then it is suggested that you no longer play a game with that person._________________CYN

I have to go right now because I have to do a performance at my school, so this will be quick.

I understand perfectly well that people may have their own strategies and do not have to trade with anyone in order to win. However, when you are clearly going to lose and can clearly gain a better position by trading (hint: properties up for trade were from dark blue up. Those props could easily make or break a game) bu decide not to trade anyway, there is something else going on or you're just a plain jerk. If you read the chat box I would say it's fair to argue hammernow2 was very rude.

So could you explain exactly why it is okay to embargo when there is NO strategic reason?

I do not see where he was rude to you at all and he responded to at least 50 percent of your constant questions on trading...i understand you were trying to better your position from last however as you agreed with him he had second and uth had first....you offered trades to try and get second however this may have put him in third if things went your way, he chose not to take the risk...not answering your constant questions on trades is not being rude to you. he answered enough of them and you continued._________________CYN

He barely answered any questions at all. I had to constantly ask to get only a few answers from him, and half of those were some strange response he would not clarify. I remember that one of the things he told me was that he wouldn't trade with crappy offers. He didn't even try to be polite, give me feedback on why my offers were bad or how I could improve them. It IS rude to just completely ignore someone when they ask something. And I don't mean to be rude to you, CYN, but no he did not answer "enough" of my questions. Again, some of his answers weren't even answers, from the few hammernow2 gave to start with.

And you mentioned a "risk" he might take by trading with me. I would like to ask, how is (as an example, this is one of the offers I sent him) trading purple over for green and no cash a risk when after upgrading, he would have higher income than me AND a large cash lead of 4k+?